Bhopal: City unit of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has urged Madhya Pradesh Governor Dr Bhai Mahavir to direct the state government to immediately release its senior leader Acharya Dharmendra, who was arrested on March 16 in Ujjain for allegedly giving an inflammatory speech.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor on March 20, the VHP workers, led by its district president Rajesh Sharma, termed the arrest of Acharya as the "murder of fundamental right of the people and a blotch on freedom of expression provided in the Indian Constitution", sources said.

"There was no criticism of any community, sect, caste or creed in the Acharya's speech at Dewas," VHP claimed and added that "there were some definite mistake on the part of the administration to understand the actual meaning of his utterances".

The memorandum also demanded that actions be taken against the officials who arrested Acharya, "so that in future no one can dare to insult the great saints of the country without any reason".

Acharya Dharmenrdra was arrested at Ujjain railway station following a case registered by Dewas police against him for allegedly giving an inflammatory speech at Dewas.

Dharmendra had left Dewas before police could arrest him. Acting on a tip-off, police arrested the VHP leader before he could board a train at Ujjain station and took him back to Dewas.

PTI